During a recent visit to Colchester, HRH The Princess of Wales spoke about her own cancer journey and the difficulties she experienced post-treatment.

“You put on a sort of brave face… but actually that phase afterwards is really, really difficult.”

“It’s a roller coaster… you have to find your new normal.”

– HRH The Princess of Wales

These powerful words from Princess Kate perfectly capture why Cancer Lifeline South West, based right here in Devon, exists.

Since 2002, our Time to Retune residential breaks have been offering caring, guided support post-treatment:

* Three‑day fully-funded breaks for up to 10 recovering patients (with or without a partner), supported by trained counsellors
* Therapeutic activities such as mindfulness, meditation and peer‑led sharing sessions
* A compassionate community of individuals facing similar journeys, where that crucial support and connection happens

Princess Kate emphasises that the real struggle often starts after treatment ends. That’s why our work matters – to walk alongside survivors as they rebuild their “new normal.”

Her comments rang so many bells with us, that we dropped her a line, letting her know we’re here, and that we’d love to spread our services outside of the southwest, if only we had the resources to do so. We’ll let you know if we get a response.